Furnace shell construction



Oct. 10, 1939. J. J. HoLuB FUBNACE SHELL coNsTRUcTIoN Filed nec. 15A,1937 Patented Oct. l0, 1939 UNITED STATES ui'g-iATENT oFFicE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to warm-air furnaces and similar heating apparatus,and more spefically my improvements appertain to the construction andassembly of the outer shell or housl ing that encloses the body orheater member of a furnace.v y

'I'he present invention embodies a shell formed of ya plurality ofsectional units that are made in a manner that permitsinterchangeability l. thereof. These sectional units are in the form ofrelatively wide panels andconnector members interposed between suchpanels, that permit a shell tc be quickly asembled by interlocking orinterengaging proximate edges or margins ofthe 1I respective units. Theconnector members preferably are of a right-angle shape in cross-sectionso that they may provide the corners of a rectangular shell, and thepanels are of a generally flat and straight shape to provide the upright20 walls of the shell. The margins or edge portions of the panels havespecially shaped lateral extensions or flanges that are engaged withsubstantially counter-part lateral extensions or flanges on the edges ofthe connector members. 'Ihis 25 novel construction and arrangementprovides a shell having knockdown characteristics and permits panelshaving certain appurtenances to be placed in a manner most convenientfor a particular installation.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a shell or housing ofnovel construction. Another object is to provide a shell or housing thatis convenient to assemble when being installed, and which, whenknocked-down may be transported or stored in a minimum of space. Anadvantage of this invention may be interlocked with each other withoutthe use of tools, and the assembly may be done by unskilled persons.This structure is sturdy; it is capable of withstanding severe usage;and the interlocking elements are disposed in a manner relative to thefinished shell that permits such elements to perform the function ofreinforcing the shell wall. Numerous other objects and advantages of myinvention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after the sameis understood from the Within disclosure. I prefer to accomplish theforegoing objects and advantages, and to practice my invention insubstantially the manner hereinafter described and as particularlypointed out in the appended claims, and reference is made to theaccompanying drawing that forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing:

(C1. isc- 136) Figurefl is a Vertical elevation of a furnace shell madein accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmental View in perspective showing a corner of theshell and looking at the l inside thereof.

y Figure is a View looking down upon the structure` shown .in Figure 2,the panel at the bottom of the View being shown as detached from thecorner member.

The drawing is to be understood as being more or less schematic and ismerely for the purpose of disclosing a typical or preferred embodimentof my invention, and in the drawing like reference characters identifylike parts wherever such parts appear in the different views.

In the shell disclosed in Figure l, I have shown several appurtenancesinstalled upon several of the faces thereof for the purpose ofillustrating the flexibility of the members thereof. The left side panelis provided with a bottom doorway 5 into-,Which the feed channel 6 of astoker structure 'l is inserted so that the burner head 8 of the stokeris properly positioned in the bottom of the central body of the furnace.An air-conditioner cabinet 9 is shown assembled with the panel or sideof the shell opposite the stoker. The panel ID, which is shown inelevation has a central opening that is closed by a hinged door 4whereby access is afforded to the interior of the heater body above theburner head 8 to permit a .person to conveniently remove the usualaccumulation of clinkers, and other solid residue of combustion, fromthe burner head or around thesame.

A shell of cubical shape preferably consists of four rectangular panelsall of substantially the same dimensions as `tor height and width, butthese panels, as just above described, may have openings in differentlocations and may support appurtenances of different kinds so that suchpanelsmmay be arranged in any desirable successiveorder. The co-actingconnectors provide the corners of the shell and are of right-angle shapein cross-section. For convenience the panels are designated as Il) andeach connector as a whole is designated as Il.

A panel comprises a rectangular metal sheet of heavier gauge than themetal of the connectors, and the vertical margins of the sheet areprovided with inturned flanges I2 to stiifen the panel. This heavy gaugesheet forms the body of the panel and its upright margins havelongitudinal extensions I3 secured toI them in any suitable manner,preferably by bolts as shown. An extension comprises an elongated metalstrip that is folded upon itself, along its margin adjacent the panelbody, with a narrow metal strip It between the folded portion as shownat the bottom of Figure 3. At the other margin of the extension themetal sheet is bent inwardly, in the same manner as flange I2, toprovide one wall I5 of a channeled or V-shaped lock-flange, the otherwall I6 of such flange being formed by a reversely bent longitudinal lipthat is in a plane oblique to wall I5 and inclines towards the innerfree edge of the latter to provide the apex of the V.

A connector member II is an elongated metal sheet bent at its center ofwidth to preferably a right-angular cross-section and provides a cornerof a rectangular shell. At each longitudinal edge of the connectormember the metal sheet is bent at a Sil-degree angle to provide one ofthe longitudinal walls I'I of the interlocking flanges, which walls,when assembled with the edges of adjacent panels, will lie alongside theinturned flanges l5 of the panel extensions. At their free edges thewalls I'I are bent acutely in reverse bends to provide outwardlydisposed lips I8 that are oblique to walls I1. Stops or shoulders I9 areformed at the free edges of the lips I8 and extend at right-angles tothe respective lips in an inward direction towards the walls or anges Vlthereby providing constricted or reduced entrance openings orlongitudinal slots through which the V-shaped interlocking members I5and I 5 of the panel may be inserted as suggested at the lower portionof Figure 3. When the flange members of a panel and a connector memberhave been engaged with each other the free edge of the lip I6 of thepanel will be disposed back of the stop a shoulder I9 of the connectormember as shown in Figure 2 and at the upper portion of Figure 3. Thusassembled, accidental or unintentional movement or dislodgement of oneof the interlocking members with respect to its proximate member isdenitely prevented; but, in order to separate these parts, the panel asa whole may be raised vertically relative to the connector (theinterlocking members acting as guides) until the bottom ends of theflange and lip I5 and I6 have passed above the top ends of thecounter-part elements on the adjacent edge of the connector member.

The arrangement described permits a particular panel to be erected uponthe side of the furnace shell that may be most desirable to the user.For example, in the assembly illustrated in Figure l, the stoker entersthe left panel which is opposite the panel to which the air-conditioningcabinet is connected, and the panel shown in elevation contains adoorway opening about midway its height that permits convenient accessto the interior, or combustion chamber of the furnace body. A person maystand in front of this latter panel and remove clinkers or otheraccumulation of the residue of combustion without having to reach overthe stoker as is at present the case when the stokers are installed sothat they enter the front of an ordinary furnace shell through anash-pit opening located below the fuel feed opening.

As shown in Figure 2 the flanges I2 of the bodies of the panels, and theinterlocking lateral members I5-I6 and IT-IB do not extend to the top ofthe casing but terminate a proper distance below the upper edge thereofso that a suitable cover 20 may be mounted upon and close the top of thehousing. If desired, in order to insure against accidental disengagementof the interlocked flanges, relatively small tabs 2| may be made on theupper side edges of the connector member above the top edges of theinterlocking flanges. These tabs are bent outward from the faces of theconnector members prior to the assembly of the anges as shown in thelower portion of Figure 3, and, after the flanges have been interlocked,these tabs are bent flat against the adjacent surface or face of thepanel as shown in Figure 2 and at the upper part of Figure 3. It will beunderstood the panels need not be provided with the side extensions I3as shown herein, and in such event the interlocking flange I5-I6 isformed integrally at the vertical edges of the panel. Owing to thethickness of the panel herein disclosed it is found desirable to providethe locking flanges in metal of thinner gauge because of its greaterelasticity and its adaptability to being bent in the desired shape. Forall intents and purposes of the present invention the extensions I3 andthe locking flanges I5-IS are to be considered as a part (integral orotherwise) of the panel sheet.

What I claim is:

1. A sheet metal structure comprising two metal edges joined togetherboth edges bent laterally to the respective body portions alongside saidedges, said edges beyond the respective bends each having a reverse bendwhereby counterpart flanges of V-shape cross-section are provided, theapex of one V-shaped structure inserted through the open base of theother V-shaped structure, a stop on the free margin of the outerV-shaped structure that is engaged by the free margin of the innerV-shaped structure, and a tab on the body portion of one metal edge thatis engaged with the adjacent body portion of the other metal edge, saidtab adapted to prevent separation of said V-shaped structures bymovement in lateral directions.

2. A sheet metal structure comprising two metal edges joined togetherboth edges bent laterally to the respective body portions alongside saidedges, said edges beyond the respective bends each having a reverse bendwhereby counterpart flanges of V-shape cross-section are provided, theapex of one V-shaped structure inserted through the open base of theother V-shaped structure, a lateral inturned lip on the free margin ofthe outer V-shaped structure disposed across the free margin of theinner V-shaped structure, and a tab on the body portion of the metaledge that forms the outer V-shaped structure, said tab engaged with thebody portion of the other metal edge, whereby to prevent separation ofsaid V-shaped structures by relative movement in lateral directions.

JOHN J. HOLUB.

